Switch on, boot up, log in, open mail. Delete the porn, the spam, the offers to extend my penis and enlarge my septic tank. Delete the emails that want to send me Viagra and Cialis and turn down the offer of £1m from a widow in Nigeria (although I was tempted by this one, oh yes). Right, so that’s the crap cleared out of my inbox, what’s left? Oooh, lovely there’s a message from someone I haven’t seen in four years. Hang on, what’s she saying? She wants me to sign up to be her friend on Facebook? I haven’t seen her for four years and that’s the best she can do? I emailed her straight back, told her I wasn’t into Facebook or Myspace but was over the moon to have heard from her again. I was a bit confused by the Facebook thing but decided to ignore it and plowed on with a gushing reply. I asked her about her life, her son, her business. I recalled things we’d done together in the past, putting memories into the message, encouraging a reply from the other end of the country from someone’s life I was genuinely interested in learning more about. That was a week ago. Have I heard back? Have I f..f..f… facebook.
It seems for some people, if you’re not a friend on Facebook, you’re not a friend at all. The Facebook website says it’s a social utility that connects you with the people around you. Well, that may be true. You might end up with 458 “friends” but the true meaning of the word is now lost. [Originally written for Dollymix]
7 comments:
Damn right. I've had similar issues with Friends Reunited too and you already know my opinion of MySpace. After several emails to old friends who would all "love to hear from anyone who remembers them" and not hearing a dickie bird in reply I gave up. Friends are the people who are around now - the ones that phone and visit and meet you down the pub when you're feeling blue/grumpy/happy/drunk.
I know what you mean about the "friend" thing. And I freely admit I actually signed up for Facebook the other day...ahem! Most of my "friends" on there so far have been ex-workmates. I'm wondering who else might come out of the woodwork...
I agree that at the end of the day electronic communication is no substitute for real, face-to-face contact/interaction. But in this increasingly modern age it seems to be the way we're headed! Emails, text messages etc...To a certain degree it can be a quick and easy way to stay in touch with people and in that respect it has advantages. And if you want to contact someone on the other side of the country or even world, it's a definite plus.
But I also think that people have got very lazy and would prefer to use the electronic method of contact rather than the real thing...a sad state of affairs in some ways. On a number of occasions I've felt quite peeved with so called "friends" who I feel would rather send some token message than meet up properly. I've also felt that it's too easy to "hide behind" emails and the like - words on a page or screen are not the same as genuine conversation and you don't know exactly what that person is thinking and feeling (in spite of what they might write...but words can be manipulated!)
Anyway that's my little diatribe over!
And whilst on the subject of friends, as you and I work within close proximity of one another, Nora, do you fancy meeting up for a coffee or maybe even a drink at some point? It would lovely to meet you in person! Drop me an... (ahem!)...email if you do!
Simon x
Sorry, I haven't bothered to read your post because it's not on Facebook and you didn't confirm our relationship either.
I'm not even replying to you now since it's not on facebook.
I find it rather annoying this facebook malarky though, for instance I have work collegues I have at one time or another dragged home in a drunken mess, which would indicate that in terms of human interaction there is some kind of compatiablilty there (and lets face it, just because I work with you doesn't mean I can't leave you at roadside and not be look you in the face on monday).
But I keep on getting "X wants you do to Y" constantly in my inbox, why? Haven't I proved myself enough or do you need another quiz or poll to re-enforce the fact I get on with you?
Maybe if I change all my friends on whicheverbloodyfacebookprofileIhavetoday to "rather be bludgeoned to death than spent 30 seconds with" they'll stop harassing me with their constant stream of junk.
Ah, Old Cheeser, but if we met for coffee you'd find out I was really a chimpanzee. Best not to spoil the illusion.
Oh shit, I was wondering where you were on there - I just console myself with it's not as bad as Twitter.
I guess so. But hey, I actually look like a gorilla and no-one holds it against me!
Aaggh i got sucked into face book because of an upcoming high school reunion. Now a bunch of my online friends and relatives have added me as friends and i'm getting to the point where i feel guilty about deleting the account! I find it all confusing and i really hate that you have to sign up just to have a look around, and that it will spam everyone in your email address book if you don't unclick the default. Which i did. Resist! Resist!
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